[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5873]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT SEAN DURKIN, U.S. ARMY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE COFFMAN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 20, 2010

  Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado. Madam Speaker, there are many heroes from 
Colorado who have fought, and continue to fight, in the Global War on 
Terror. Today, I rise to pay tribute to one hero in particular: Army 
Sergeant Sean Durkin of Aurora, Colorado.
  On March 27, 2010, Sergeant Sean Durkin and his fellow soldiers were 
on a mission near Forward Operating Base Wilson in Afghanistan, when 
their convoy was struck by an explosive device. Sergeant Sean Durkin 
and two other brave soldiers exited the vehicle to respond to the 
blast, but were all injured when a second improvised explosive device 
went off. Sergeant Sean Durkin was gravely wounded and ultimately 
succumbed to his injuries while recuperating at Walter Reed Army 
Medical Center.
  In 2004, Sergeant Sean Durkin graduated from Eaglecrest High School 
in Centennial, Colorado and later attended Denver Auto Diesel College 
before enlisting in the United States Army in 2006. He is remembered as 
a fine young man who had always dreamed of becoming a soldier, and was 
also passionate about working on automobiles.
  During his military service, Sergeant Sean Durkin was the recipient 
of numerous awards and qualifications, including the Expert Infantry 
Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Driver Mechanic Badge. Attached to the 
1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team of the 
4th Infantry Division, he was also a veteran of Operation Iraqi 
Freedom.
  Sergeant Sean Durkin is a shining example of Army service and 
sacrifice. As a former member of the Army and retired Marine, my 
deepest sympathies go out to his family and to all who knew him.

                          ____________________